Less than a year ago I was sitting in the low to mid 500's with derogs, lates, collections, a tax lien and a dismissed chapter 7. I spent a year very aggressively attacking my credit from every angle. This week I got approved for a Fannie Mae at prime rate with only 3% down on a 30-year fixed. It feels almost surreal. Keep systematically hammering at your file, pay on time, and keep balances low. That's it, no magic.